EURIPIDES
What dirge, what song 1025
shall I sing for the dead?
What dance shall I dance for death?
(The great central doors of the pdace slide slowly apart
revealing, in the center court, Heracles asleep, bound
to a broken pillar. The bodies of Megara and the
children beside him are -wheeled on the stage
in the eccyclema.)
Ah, look!
Look: the great doors
of the palace slide apart! 1030
Look there!
Look: the children's corpses
beside their wretched father.
How terribly he lies asleep
after his children's slaughter!
Ropes around his body, 103 5
knotted cords bind Heracles,
cables lash him down
to the pillars of his house.
Here the old man comes, dragging behind
with heavy steps, mourning in bitterness 1040
like some bird whose unfledged covey is slain.
Amphitryon
Hush, old men of Cadmus' city,
and let him sleep. Hush:
let him forget his grief.
Chorus
I weep for you, old friend, 1045
for these boys, and for that head
that wore the victor's crown.
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